For He Has Held A Star
by Tarica
Summary: After an extremely unpleasant extended stay with Jenna Zan Arbor, Obi-Wan comes home not exactly feeling himself. Not only does he have to deal with his new condition, but also an emerging bond, and trying to hide his feelings for his Master.
1. Chapter 1

Reposting this because my Co-Author .mcstupd does not know how to , lol. We don't own Star Wars, all that jazz.

Warning: this fic does contain M-preg. If that is your squick, please hit the back button.

* * *

Obi-Wan stared in disgust at the files displayed on the screen in front of him. The result of a few weeks of careful slicing and information analysis, his inauspicious first solo mission was quickly becoming a beast of a odd disappearances were revealed to be outright kidnappings. The results had also raised suspicions, which he carefully coded into his report for the Council, to be sent in his next data-burst tomorrow. It wasn't that they hadn't been waiting for her to rear her torturing face since her escape from prison, but Obi-Wan hadn't expected this mission to Ryloth lead him straight to her.

Jenna Zan Arbor.

Qui-Gon would call for him to be pulled from this mission or lobby to join him as soon he found out. Obi-Wan shuddered at the memory of the abuse his Master had suffered at her hands, the anguish he had felt as he guided the older man to safety.

No, Qui-Gon wasn't coming anywhere near Ryloth if Obi-Wan could help it.

Mind made up, Obi-Wan saved the report, the hacked files, and his analysis, and added them to those already contained in the pre-prepared data-burst. By the time it sent to the Council in twelve hours, he would hopefully be back from infiltrating the complex he had been monitoring so carefully. The files he needed for solid proof of the kidnappings could not be so easily obtained via remote slicing, but once he had them his mission would be done and a proper team would be sent to deal with the findings.

He drew his cloak about him and stepped down the ramp, determined to return in time for breakfast.

* * *

He gained access to the complex by scaling a five meter fence at a hole in the guard perimeter. He inched carefully across the grounds, keeping to the shadows and avoiding dirt where possible. Even if someone were to glimpse him, he would leave no evidence that he was more than a shadow himself. It wasn't until he picked open the latch on an emergency access door to enter the massive building that took up a significant portion of the grounds that he paused, an odd dread surrounding him.

Obi-Wan hated it when the Force sent him bad feelings in the middle of a mission.

He pried open the door and clambered through, only to be met with alarm klaxons, and a durasteel plate slamming down over the only way forward. "If they didn't know I was here before, they certainly do now," Obi-Wan groused, "I guess I'd better get to work before company finds me."

Obi-Wan took his saber and plunged it into the durasteel plate, laboriously cutting an opening into it. He wasn't fast enough though. Heavy footsteps echoed in the adjacent corridor, coming towards the door. Just as he finished cutting, the door opened and blaster fire shot through into the room. He dodged the first shot, bringing his lightsaber up in a defensive position. Three large Duros blasted their way into the room, Obi-Wan was a blur of motion as he deflected the heavy fire. He reached out with one hand, and with a mighty Force push, knocked one of the Duros against the far wall. He hit hard and fell to the ground, where he lay unmoving.

' _One down, two to go. I should finish this quickly before reinforcements arrive.'_

Obi-Wan deflected an oncoming shot at the second Duro and rushed the third. His attacker made to fire again, but he raised his hand and grabbed the offending blaster with the Force, yanking it free as he dealt a blow to the Duros' head with the hilt of his saber. He spun again, parrying more blaster fire from the hallway, and deflecting it back towards its origin. Gathering the Force around him and wary of fighting Duros on two fronts, he sent a massive Force push down the hall, leaving his opponents in a heap and attempting to regain their feet. He took his chance and bolted, using the Force to leap past the pile of struggling bodies and turned the first corner he could find, only to grind to a halt at a searing pain in his abdomen.

A Duros with a blaster stood in front of him. Obi-Wan looked down to see that he had been shot. But the Duros would not hesitate to shoot again, so he raised his saber once more as they stared each other down. He heard footsteps behind him and knew that the rest of Zan Arbor's thugs had caught up as well. He deflected the first shot, and then second, but a third hit him in the shoulder, causing his saber arm going limp with the pain. He was aware of another shot striking his leg, and then collapsed to the floor, where he watched a pair of boots approach, before a blow to his temple left him in merciful unconsciousness.

* * *

Waking up was unpleasant. His shoulder and side throbbed, his leg was on fire,and the pain in his head left him groggy and nauseous.

"You idiots, I told you to bring him to me unharmed!" a woman was screaming, but he wasn't willing to turn his head towards the noise and identify the yeller.

"The only reason you lot are still alive is because these are flesh wounds! This is the strongest Force sensitive we have managed to capture, and I have a personal interest in him."

Something about the voice was familiar. He was certain he had heard it somewhere before. Wasn't he meant to be on a mission? Was it something to do with that? He shook his head in an attempt to clear it, wincing when all it did was cause a new spike of pain from his temple. It did however suddenly dawn on him that he was probably drugged, the fog in his mind too much for a simple concussion to account for. If he could just focus enough to harness the Force, he could purge the effects from his body and attempt to heal himself enough to escape.

He closed his eyes and fought the vertigo as he was moved up onto a table. Something that felt like straps were stretched across his ankles, chest, and wrists. He fought the urge to struggle, managing to keep still and feign unconsciousness. He needed them to think he was compliant if he was going to escape. The Force was already hard at work purging the chemicals from his body.

He was ready; he was clear headed and able to fight. Now he just needed to wait for the right moment. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and pretended to come to. Soon after, footsteps echoed around the room, slowly making their way towards him.

"Well if it isn't my dear old friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Jenna Zan Arbor crooned, as she stalked towards him with a sheet of 'plast in her hands.

Obi-Wan inclined his head. "Zan Arbor. I would say it is a pleasure to see you again, but really it isn't."

Zan Arbor smiled. "You always were the one to mouth off," she said, stepping closer to him. _'Closer, closer… NOW!'_

Obi-Wan snapped his head toward into Zan Arbor's nose. As she fell back he harnessed the Force to open his bindings. Obi-Wan bolted off of the bed and used Force-enhanced speed to sprint to the door, but before he could open it, a wave of pain swept over him as he was electrocuted, and he fell to the floor with a gasp. After the spasms died down he tried to get up, but his body would not obey him.

"Did you really think I was that stupid?" Zan Arbor asked, as she walked up to him. He heard the door behind him open and two Duros grabbed him by his arms and pulled him up. "I have state of the art security, and stun guns positioned throughout the room, coded to your DNA." Zan Arbor grabbed his chin, and turned his head towards the corner where he could indeed see one of the guns. She let go, and the Duros dragged his unresisting body back towards the table. "Now look, you're bleeding again. You've exasperated your wound. We'll need to take care of that," she said, walking around to the front of the table. "You know, I was hoping we could do this the easy way," she mused, "I would get much more comprehensive test results, but if you are going to be difficult we can always use this."

Obi-Wan let his head flop towards Zan Arbor as the thugs maneuvered his arms and legs back into the straps. He was shocked by what he saw. A Force Inhibitor. His eyes widened "Where did you get one of those?"

"Oh I have all sorts of friends you don't know about," she smirked, and placed the collar around his neck.

Obi-Wan had to fight back panic. He had been under the influence of inhibitors before, he could do it again. But as the cold metal snapped around his neck, he caught his breath. In that moment it was like he was blinded, a whole sense that gave texture and meaning to the world around him taken away. He forced himself to control his breathing. "You won't get away with this," he snarled.

Zan Arbor laughed. "I don't see anyone here trying to stop me." Then she stepped forward and plunged a needle she was holding into his arm, and all he knew was darkness.

* * *

Qui-Gon looked at his hand of sabacc cards, then up at what Tahl had played. It was clear that she was losing badly. It was strange to think that she hadn't improved as a sabacc player since they were Padawans themselves.

Qui-Gon placed down a card and Tahl scowled. "I think _you_ are cheating," she accused.

Qui-Gon put on a hurt expression. "Tahl, my dearest friend, I don't know why you besmirch my honor this way."

Tahl snorted, "I know people on the Council. It is a fact that in some of your mission reports you have implied you used the Force to spin luck in your favor to gain extra cash."

Qui-Gon smiled. "Alas you know me too well. But in this case, I am not cheating. _You_ are just terrible at Sabbac."

Tahl sighed and threw her cards down. "Which is why I know something is up. You like a challenge when you play, so clearly you're just using me as a distraction. What's bothering you Qui?"

Qui-Gon winced. Was he really that transparent? He set his cards down and folded his hands in front of him, looking directly into Tahl's sightless eyes. "Obi-Wan hasn't reported in to the Council in over twenty-four hours."

"Oh Qui, there could be tons of reasons why he didn't report. Remember, on your first solo mission, Dooku was sent to retrieve you because you forgot to transmit your messages for two days," Tahl said reassuringly.

Qui-Gon blushed; that was certainly not one of his finer moments, but with age comes wisdom. "Obi-Wan is usually the one to remind me to check in during a mission, so it is unlikely that he forgot."

"You're being a mother hen, Qui. Obi-Wan is a capable Padawan, he can take care of himself," Tahl replied.

"If there is one thing we know about Obi-Wan, it is that he is a magnet for trouble," Qui-Gon said ruefully. Then, more soberly, "Tahl, I have a bad feeling about this."

Tahl turned serious quickly, reaching out to take Qui-Gon's hand. "Look, go to sleep, and if he doesn't report back in tomorrow, I'm sure the Council will let you stage a rescue mission." Tahl smiled. "Just don't stay up all night worrying about it, okay? Promise me you'll at least get some sleep."

Qui-Gon grinned. "Now who is being the mother hen?

Tahl laughed. "Okay, I see how it is, you stupid barve. Now make me some tea and then go get some sleep."

Just as the sun was rising the next day, Qui-Gon sat himself down to meditate. He closed his eyes, the breathing pattern second nature to him at this point, and let himself sink into a trance. He expanded his awareness, feeling the inhabitants of the Temple, but he wanted to go further than that. He stretched beyond the planet, stretching past more than he had ever gone before. He was sweating and shaking, but he was almost there! Just a little more...But where Obi-Wan should be, Qui-Gon couldn't touch his mind. It was like the bond didn't exist. He might have thought it was severed, but thanks to that horrible day with Xanatos, he now knew what a severed bond felt like. He pressed harder, but the wall wouldn't budge. All he got for his efforts was a headache.

Qui-Gon opened his eyes and stood up, only to stagger to the side and almost fall back down. He took a deep breath. He would regain his strength, and then he would approach the Council.

* * *

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and everything was blurry. He squinted to clear his vision, but it didn't help. A familiar smell assaulted him. He knew that smell…it was bacta. _'How did I end up in the Healer's ward this time,'_ he wondered. It was hard to focus; everything was fuzzy. He was on a mission, right? A mission on Ryloth, looking for missing persons, then something happened? Then it hit him. Jenna Zan Arbor! She had captured him! He moved his arms sluggishly in an attempt to swim to the top of the bacta tank, but two pairs of hands plunged into the tank, grabbed him, and dragged him up before he could attempt it.

He tried to raise his hands to remove the mask, but his arms felt leaden. He brought his hands up again and knocked them against the mask, dislodging it from his face. The two, lab attendants by the look of them, helped him down to the floor. He looked around, trying to take stock of the room for an escape, but everything was spinning too much for him to concentrate. One attendant held him while the other ran a rough towel over his over-sensitized skin, drying the excess bacta off and Obi-Wan had to fight not to blush when he realized that he was naked.

After he was sufficiently dried, the lab attendants grabbed Obi-Wan and lifted him onto a durasteel gurney. He shivered as he touched the cold metal surface. He tried frantically not to vomit from the movement, but the change in position caused a wave of vertigo. He faded in and out as they wheeled him through the halls. He was still able to keep track of where they were going, memorizing the order of turns as they went. That would make an escape attempt easier.

They wheeled him through a set of doors and back into the first room he woke up in. The Duros grabbed him roughly and moved him to the exam bed, and started to buckle the straps around his limbs. Obi-Wan tried to tear his arms out of their grasp, but their hands felt like solid durasteel.

He heard the distinct click of shoes, and knew instinctively it was Zan Arbor, even though he couldn't sense her. She lightly ran her hands over his abdomen. Obi-Wan flinched at the feathery touch and Zan Arbor smirked. She turned toward one of the attendants. "No marks at all. It is completely healed?"

"Yes ma'am, the bacta healed all the surface damage, and we suspect the tissue damage as well, but we need to bring in the scanner to check," the female attendant replied.

Obi-Wan looked down at his stomach and realized that the blaster wound was completely healed. It left a sinking feeling in his gut. Somehow, the thought of Zan Arbor wanting him whole for her procedures was more intimidating than if she had left him bleeding. If she had healed him, she wanted him long term, and he didn't want to think about what she wanted him for.

"Good." Zan Arbor smiled "Beathar, go and get the scanner. Luatat, help me get the samples we need."

Beathar went out of the room, while Zan Arbor and Luatat grabbed some medical equipment from a nearby tray. Obi-Wan gulped. He had no love for the Healer's Ward, and he had a feeling these people would be far worse than his visits with Healer Lyonava. Zan Arbor drove a needle into a vein on his arm, none too gently.

"What wonderful bedside manner you have," he gritted out as she started to fill a rather large vial with his blood.

"You are not a patient, young Kenobi, you are a test subject," Zan Arbor replied coldly. The sinking feeling in his stomach came back worse than ever.

Luatat shoved a swab into his mouth and made him gag, but thankfully pulled it out quickly, having gotten what she needed. The other attendant came into the room with a large durasteel machine he assumed was the scanner. He wheeled it over next to the bed and pulled out a large screen over him. He pressed a button and the machine came humming to life.

Zan Arbor and the attendants stood around the scanner silently. "Everything looks good. I want scans done every day to monitor," Zan Arbor said, staking towards the exit. One of the attendants started to pack up the scanner while the other one was attaching various electrodes to him to monitor his vitals. Then the two attendants started to leave and Obi-Wan perked up. Maybe with them gone he would have time to find a way off of this infernal table and a way to circumnavigate the stun guns. Zan Arbor stopped and turned around and any hope of escape vanished with her words. "Oh and I want him drugged at all times. I don't want another escape attempt." She smiled as she left the room.

Beathar came over and went to insert a needle into his wrist. Obi-Wan struggled against the restraints, but it was no use. The straps held him firm. The needle slid home and she attached an IV to it. Almost immediately, things started to go fuzzy again, and the last thing Obi-Wan heard before he fell asleep was the door sliding shut as the last person in the room left.

He woke sporadically, but was too disoriented to tell how much time has passed. It could have been a day, or weeks. His existence was a blur of tissue samples, blood samples and scans followed by intermittent bouts of sleep. He didn't know what she was looking for with his midichlorians that she hadn't already found from her experiments with Qui-Gon, but whatever it was, apparently she was still searching.

His days were repetitive; a predictable schedule of needles and drugs and Zan Arbor's leering smile, followable even through the haze of sedatives. Sometimes he wondered how long he'd been confined there, experimented on. Other days Obi-Wan was afraid of the answer. Certainly it had been long enough for the Council to send someone.

No one ever came though, and he fought the sedatives less and less, not wanting to exist as the lab rat he'd become. Everything was one never-ending day, his internal clock devastated by his separation of the Force and the cocktail in his bloodstream. Until one day, suddenly, it wasn't.

He awoke to the shrill sound of blaster fire. Woozily, Obi-Wan turned his head towards the noise, taking a long time to place it through the haze. It was coming from the corridor. He stared stupidly for a few minutes before he belatedly realized that this could be a rescue. He strained, trying to listen past the low background noise of the medical equipment in the lab, his eyes falling shut in relief as he heard it. Lightsabers, the beautiful sound of a humming lightsaber. He was saved.

A few moments later the blaster fire stopped and the doors opened to reveal Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos, and Obi-Wan's Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. "It took you long enough," Obi-Wan slurred out. At least he _thought_ it had, he had no clue how much time had actually passed.

Quinlan laughed. "Wow Obi-Wan, they have you on the good stuff don't they?"

"Stop laughing at me and get me down from this kriffing table," Obi-Wan scowled. This seemed to be even funnier than what he said last time, because Quinlan just laughed louder, though both he and Qui-Gon did come closer and start undoing the straps. As soon as they were undone, he tried to slide off the table onto his feet, but quickly lost his balance.

Quinlan quickly grabbed him and turned to Qui-Gon to speak. "I've got this covered, go and see if you can stop that witch from escaping."

Qui-gon hesitated and looked like he wanted to argue, but he paused, nodded and strode swiftly towards the door. Obi-wan watched him go with regret. He wished it was his Master standing there, instead of Knight Voss. "I'm cold."

Quinlan chuckled. "No kidding, I can't believe that's all you're saying about your state right now." He took off his cloak and wrapped it around Obi-Wan, helping him into a seated position. Quinlan joined him on the floor and said, "If you were in your right mind right now, you would be worried about your virtue."

Obi-Wan looked at Quinlan coyly from under his lashes. "Why, did you see something you like?" he asked slyly.

Quinlan went from smirking to a full out belly laugh at that. "You know you are never going to live this down right? This is a story that will be told for years to come."

Obi-Wan gave him a disgruntled look, but before he could reply Qui-Gon strode back into the room.

"Let me guess, she escaped," Quinlan deadpanned, rising back to his feet.

"Very observant of you to notice I didn't bring a prisoner with me, Knight Vos." Qui-gon replied in jest. "While we are here, we should gather any evidence she left behind."

"Got it," Quinlan called over his shoulder as he walked towards the data terminal on the far wall. He took out a data chip from a pouch on his belt and inserted it into the terminal. After typing for a few moment, he shook his head. "It is all highly encrypted. I can copy it, but we'll need the analysts at the temple to decode it before we can get anything off of it."

"At least she didn't wipe the data," Qui-Gon replied. "Obi-Wan, we must leave before more guards arrive. Can you walk?" He offered Obi-Wan his hand, and helped his Padawan to his feet.

Obi-Wan looked offended.

"Of course I can walk, Master," he said as he took a few unsteady steps forward, but was promptly proven wrong as his legs started to buckle. Before he could hit the ground, Qui-Gon caught him, wrapping a supportive arm under his shoulders to keep him on his feet.

"I'll take him, you take point and take care of any one who might object to our leaving," Qui-Gon said leaning down to hook his other arm under Obi-Wan's legs and lift him into his arms. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest, but a look from Qui-Gon made him shut it again.

The trip out of the complex was short, and there were few guards to block their way. The ones they did meet, Quinlan dispatched of quickly. Obi-Wan dozed as they moved, content to be somewhere safe, to be back with his Master. He fell asleep with his head against Qui-Gon's chest, lulled by the sound of his heart beating a calm steady rhythm.

* * *

Obi-Wan woke to the sound of a slow constant beeping and the smell of antiseptic. His head wasn't as foggy as he remembered it being before, but he was still having trouble thinking. He lifted his hand to his face and realized he wasn't strapped down. He could move! He could escape Jenna Zan Arbor! The beeping was getting faster and faster and he thought he heard someone call his name, but he had no time for that, he had to escape and get his report back to the Council _now_. He opened his eyes and abruptly stood up, but his legs weren't ready to support him and he immediately started to fall, until a warm embrace caught him.

"Peace, Obi-Wan. You are safe. You are in a hospital on Ryloth, not in Zan Arbor's lab," a familiar voice murmured.

Obi-Wan relaxed immediately into the embrace.

"Master." He grasped the front of the other man's tunic with all the strength his feeble hands could muster. He was with Qui-Gon, he was safe. His Master helped him over to the bed he had just sprung up from and settled him down onto it.

"What happened?" he asked, settling himself into a sitting position as Qui-Gon adjusted the pillows behind him to help him remain upright.

"You, the ever prompt Padawan, didn't check in on time, so Qui-Gon here pestered the Council until they sent us out on a rescue mission," another familiar voice said. Obi-Wan turned to see Quinlan on the other side of the room. It was coming back to him slowly in bits and pieces.

"There was blaster fire," Obi-Wan stated, scrunching his face up as he tried to get more details. "And then you and Master Qui-gon burst into the room that Zan Arbor was keeping me in." He tried to recall more, but that was all that was coming to him for the moment.

"You don't remember anything else?" Quinlan asked, trying to restrain the glee in his voice.

"No, It all gets blurry after that," Obi-Wan responded cautiously.

Quinlan was practically oozing out amusement. "So you don't remember hitting on me?"

Obi-Wan made a strangled noise "I most certainly did no such thing!"

He looked towards his Master for confirmation, but Qui-Gon was stony-faced.

"I can neither conform nor deny his claims as I was off chasing Zan Arbor." When he spoke again, his eyes were sparkling with humor. "But you were quite out of it when we found you."

"What he means to say is you were drugged to the gills," Quinlan crowed. "Garen and Reeft are going to get such a huge kick out of the Perfect Padawan coming on to a knight."

Obi-Wan put on his best diplomatic face, but he could feel the blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Knight Vos, there will be quite enough time to rib my padawan on the ride home. For now we should discuss his health and the mission," Qui-Gon said, sobering the mood in the room. "Zan Arbor managed to elude us yet again," Qui-Gon related, and sounded just about as unhappy about that as Obi-Wan felt.

"But we chased her off before she could wipe all of the data off of her computers, so we have that to bring home for the slicers to decode," Quinlan reminded them.

"And the people who disappeared?" Obi-Wan asked.

Quinlan and Qui-Gon shared a solemn look. "Most of them were dead when we arrived, but we did manage to get a few to medical services."

Obi-Wan's heart lurched in his chest at what he heard. If only he had been able to confirm his information without going in head first, and had avoided capture, everything could have been sent in his last databurst and those people could have been saved.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up. "Obi-Wan, those people were going to die whether you got them out or not. Zan Arbor is not kind in her treatment of her test subjects," Qui-Gon said, voice soft and consoling.

"Yeah, speaking of, what did she do to you, Obi-Wan? The doctor has already had a look at you, and besides the drugs they're filtering out of your system, you're pretty much fine. You haven't even lost much weight or any muscle mass. They must have been stimulating your muscles," Quinlan mused, taking a seat in the chair furthest from the bed.

"I don't remember much," Obi-wan started hesitantly. "She had me drugged most of the time. She took various samples from me." He paused a moment. "Oh, and she gave me a bacta treatment for the blaster wounds I suffered while trying to break in."

"They healed well," Qui-Gon observed, "The doctor found no traces of the wounds."

"Now that we have confirmed what happened, can I get this blasted inhibitor off?" Obi-Wan asked, while bringing his hands up to fiddle with the mechanism.

The Master and Knight eyed each other for a moment, Qui-Gon sighing as he nodded.

"Yes, but be prepared, you have been in the inhibitor for at least thirteen days. We don't know how you'll react when it comes off." Qui-gon gestured for Quinlan to open the lock.

Knight Vos reached his hand out towards the collar and concentrated. There was a click as the collar opened, and for a second there was nothing. Then everything came rushing back. There was so much information, Obi-Wan could feel it all; all of the people in the hospital, healthy and dying alike. He felt their emotions, and got wisps of thought. It was too much, like standing in a screaming crowd with no way to tell whose voice was whose. He curled into a ball and put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound, but it was no good. He thought he heard someone shouting, but all he could do was ride out the sensations, desperately trying to focus, and failing.

' _Obi-Wan,_ ' a voice touched his mind, and he frantically reached out for it. He held onto the presence and saw a way out of this hell. He followed the connection downward and downward, until all he could hear was that voice, and everything else was blocked out. He wrapped himself around the prescenece as tightly as he could.

' _Obi-Wan_ ,' the voice softly caressed him, ' _You must return to your own mind._ '

' _It's too much, I can't!_ ' he cried.

" _You can't stay here, Little One. People are waiting for you. You must return. I will help you_ ," the voice intoned.

Obi-Wan paused. It was warm and quiet here; here he felt safe, but if the voice said he would help him, he believed it.

"Come." The voice wrapped itself around him and it was wonderful. He followed as the voice pulled him upwards and upwards, until he could feel all the people again. He froze, waiting for it to hurt, but it didn't.. Suddenly he was in his own mind again, and the voice was Qui-Gon. His mind was wrapped around Obi-Wan's, in place of the Padawan's own shields, which had been degraded and eroded to nothing by weeks in the inhibitor collar. It felt just like being curled up with Qui-Gon's arms around him. Obi-Wan took a gasping breath and realized that he was freezing and shaking.

"Obi-Wan, can you hear me?" Qui-Gon asked.

It took Obi-Wan a couple of tries to get his voice working again. "Y-yes." He was shaking so hard he couldn't get the word out without stammering.

"Quinlan get a blanket for him," Qui-Gon commanded. Obi-Wan tried to turn and face Vos, but Qui-Gon caught his chin and turned his head back towards him. "Focus on me, Padawan. Try to match my breathing."

Obi-Wan focused on Qui-Gon's breathing pattern and tried to slow his breathing to match, but it was hard. He was breathing so fast that he felt light headed, on the verge of hyperventilating. Just as he was managing to slow his breathing, he felt something warm fall around his shoulders. A blanket. He grabbed the corners of it and pulled it tighter around himself, finally able to match the rise and fall of Qui-Gon's chest.

"Good," Qui-Gon praised, "Now you need to sleep."

Obi-Wan tried to protest, but all that came out of his mouth was a strangled grunt. He was already out by the time Qui-Gon lowered him back down to the bed.

"He's going to be fine, Qui-Gon," Quinlan said for what felt like the tenth time.

"We should have waited to take off the suppression collar until we were back at the Temple with access to healers," Qui-Gon argued.

"Yeah, we probably should have, but the point is kind of moot now, and he's looking a lot better than he did a half hour ago. I think it was just psychic shock from being reintroduced to the Force after so long away from it."

"Nevertheless, I should have taken the possibility of psychic shock into account when we decided to take off the collar," Qui-Gon said tersely.

"Seriously Qui-Gon, he is doing way better, reach out and see for yourself," Quinlan said.

Qui-Gon reached with the Force to examine his Padawan and was shocked to discover he was improving. Obi-Wan was on his way to a full recovery. Cases of psychic shock could take days to recover from. This shouldn't be possible. Qui-Gon opened his mouth to discuss this new development with Quinlan, but when he opened his eyes, Quinlan had left the room.

Qui-Gon turned inward, trying to find a reason for this swift recovery and noticed that something was different. It took a moment to pinpoint the change, but when he did his eyes widened. It was his bond with Obi-Wan. It was significantly stronger than a training bond now. He surreptitiously prodded the bond, and Obi-Wan's unconscious mind opened to him. He quickly put a light barrier between them, in order to protect Obi-Wan's privacy. He examined the bond again and he realized that he had been unknowingly sending energy to Obi-Wan, which was speeding the young man's recovery process immensely.

Qui-Gon opened his eyes and relinquished his grasp on the Force. This was something he had not heard of happening before. He would have to do some research, and possibly bring it to the Council's attention.

Qui-Gon rose from his seat by the door and sat on the edge of Obi-Wan's bed. He ran his hand through Obi-Wan's hair, which had grown out in their time apart. It suited him, and it would be a shame when he had to cut it again. The Master's hand fell to where Obi-Wan's Padawan braid lay on his shoulder. It was in a terrible state of disarray. Qui-Gon stared at it for a moment before coming to a decision. He unbound the strap of leather that held the braid together and took off the bead adornments, before quickly re plaiting it into a proper looking braid.

He remembered when he had plaited that braid for the first time, six years ago. It was so much longer now, and Obi-Wan had grown older as well. The Jedi life was not easy, but Qui-Gon was saddened by all that Obi-Wan had been forced to endure in his time as Qui-Gon's apprentice. He was most certainly not a youngling anymore. The sight of Obi-Wan's braid neatly plaited with all its adornments properly in place brought Qui-Gon a sense of peace, as he waited for Quinlan to return.

* * *

Obi-Wan woke to the sickening feeling of being in hyperspace. It had always been his least favorite way of travel. The Force was different in hyperspace; it seemed to turn in on itself. It was a sensation that often left him feeling cold and empty, beyond what was normal for space travel. Obi-Wan burrowed further into the blankets on the bunk, burying his face in the pillow as he tried to warm himself. He remained tucked into his cocoon at the sound of the door sliding open, uncurling and turning only at the touch of a hand on his shoulder.

Qui-Gon stood there, face understanding as he looked down at his Padawan. He turned slightly to sit on the edge of the bunk and reached out with one hand to help Obi-Wan sit up before offering him a bowl of tea with his other.

"I thought you might want this."

Obi-Wan nodded and accepted the steaming bowl without words, humming with pleasure at the first sip. He closed his eyes in tea induced bliss, not caring if it looked silly to in front of his Master. They sat in a companionable silence for several minutes, Obi-Wan sipping at the tea, relishing the warmth it slowly returned to his limbs. Qui-Gon had often teased him in the past about him being constantly cold during hyperspace travel, but never at times like this. Never when it was important.

The Master gently pried the bowl from his grasp when it was empty. "Better?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "I'm still tired though."

"The sedatives are still wearing off. Their levels in your system were quite high without the ability to access the Force to purge them," Qui-Gon explained. "Are you feeling hungry?"

"No, I'm alright," Obi-Wan replied, leaning back against his pillows only to feel his cheeks flush as his stomach chose that moment to let out a grumble.

Qui-Gon chuckled. "Do you even remember when you ate last?"

He thought about it, but the sedatives clouded his memories. "I think there was a nasal tube...once? Sometime."

Qui-Gon frowned, eyebrow rising as concern once again showed on his face. "Even if that were recent, I should think that it hardly constitutes as food."

Obi-Wan winced as his stomach gurgled again, but took it in stride. "It appears, Master, that I have been deprived of proper meals for an unspecified amount of time. I would be appreciative of dinner."

His Master's face relaxed at the small amount of humor, and he patted the younger man on the knee through the blankets, adopting Obi-Wan's formal speech. "Very well, Padawan. Wait here and I will return with a supper that meets your exacting standards." He remained seated for a few more seconds though, hand lingering as he searched the Padawan's eyes. There was exhaustion there, along with the hunger, but nothing outwardly alarming. His shields were low, and as he stood Qui-Gon took a brief moment to push some extra energy along the training bond, willing Obi-Wan to hold onto conscious long enough to eat properly. The Padawan smiled in gratitude and settled into the stillness of a meditative trance as Qui-Gon strode from the room.

Obi-Wan was bored, irritated, and ready to beat someone senseless.

It was fine when Qui-Gon banned him from doing any saber drills or even simple katas. A small, but understandable annoyance. Quinlan's insistence that someone be in the bathroom with him while he showered was a bit more ridiculous ("There's a bench in there, Vos! If I get dizzy I'll sit, I really don't want to hurt myself!"). Obi-Wan drew the line when Qui-Gon attempted to help him dress and undress, his outrage lending him the strength to boot both Jedi from his cabin, with strict instructions to return only with tea and food.

Obi-Wan regretted banishing his companions after his month spent with impersonal and silent lab technicians, but not enough to forgive them for their coddling. He sighed, resigning himself to meditation for the remainder of the trip.

At least they were only two days from Coruscant.

It took an hour for them to get clearance to enter Coruscant's atmosphere and from there another forty minutes to navigate through the traffic and back to the Temple Obi-wan was the first one off the shuttle when it landed. He could not wait to get out of the claustrophobic shuttle. It was a relief to be back at the Temple. To be home. He greedily drank in the sights around him; even the shuttle bay was a sight for sore eyes.

Quinlan followed him off the shuttle and meandered towards Obi-Wan. The young Knight slid into place beside the younger man and cuffed the side of his head. "It's good to be back, isn't it?"

Obi-Wan nodded and started making his way towards his and Qui-Gon's rooms, eager to finally lay down in his own bed. Qui-Gon fell into step beside Obi-Wan."Where do you think you are going?' he asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"To our quarters, Master. I would like to check my messages, and see what work I need to finish for classes," Obi-Wan replied.

"I think a stop by the Healer's Ward is warranted first." Qui-Gon started to shepherd Obi-Wan in the opposite direction, but Obi-Wan planted his feet firmly on the ground and would not budge.

"I was already checked out on Ryloth, and I had plenty of time to recover on the journey back to Coruscant," Obi-Wan stated calmly, but his eyes were sparkling with defiance.

"It never hurts to be certain, Padawan," Qui-Gon replied.

The frustration that had just been a trickling stream overflowed and the dam burst. "I am nineteen years old, and a senior Padawan. I am very much capable of taking care of myself," Obi-Wan said, words short and clipped.

Qui-Gon looked shocked for a second, but he quickly schooled his face back to a neutral expression. "If you feel that you are restored to full health, then I will respect your decision." He said smoothly.

Obi-Wan's anger deflated and suddenly, he just felt tired. "Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan bowed respectfully to his Master. If you will excuse me, I need to see what I must do to get caught up in my classes." Obi-Wan left in a hurry, not waiting for Qui-Gon to change his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Qui-Gon woke to the sound of retching coming from the 'fresher. It took him a second to register, but when he did, he got out of bed and rushed to the refresher to find Obi-Wan over the toilet, heaving. Qui-Gon walked over to him and knelt down, holding the young man's braid out of the way and rubbing his back. He stayed there until Obi-Wan finished and shakily laid his head down on his arms. Then Qui-Gon went to the sink and got a cup of water for him to wash his mouth out with. Obi-Wan took it gratefully and shakily pulled himself into a standing position. Qui-Gon went over to steady him and asked, "Are you okay, Obi-Wan?"

"I'm fine," Obi-Wan assured him, his voice hoarse, "And no, I don't need to go to the Healer's ward. It was just something I ate."

"If you are sure. You should at least get some more rest," Qui-Gon said while he shepherded his apprentice back to his room. Obi-Wan looked like he was about to object, but then his defiant look crumbled and he nodded tiredly.

"Just for a little bit, Obi-Wan agreed, sitting down on his bed, "But I do have work to do for my physics class."

Qui-Gon made sure Obi-Wan was safely tucked in bed, wrapped up so far in the blankets that his head was barely showing, before he left for his morning meditation session. He made his way to the meditation gardens, the Coruscant sun shining in through the transparisteel and lighting the hall so that it glowed. The hall was fairly deserted despite the beauty of this early morning, and no one stopped him to converse with him.

He found his way to his customary spot in the wilderness garden, settling himself among a ring of stones, and inhaling the scent of pine. Artificial sunlight filtered through the trees, dust motes floating in the beams that reached the floor. The trickle of the nearby stream reminded him of the River of Light on his homeworld, warm and welcoming despite being hidden in thick woodland. This was where he felt most at home in the Force, where it was easiest to release his concerns and his fears.

Closing his eyes, Qui-Gon looked inward, searching out his training bond with Obi-Wan. After three days back on Coruscant, his Padawan was still drawing an unusual amount of energy through it. At the moment it wasn't a problem, but it could be when the Council sent them on their next mission. He worried that Obi-Wan was ill despite the young one's denials, and his fears had only been exacerbated by the morning's incident in the 'fresher.

Gently he probed at the bond, sending a wave of reassurance when he felt a spike in Obi-Wan's curiosity at the contact. The Padawan withdrew at that, presumably returning to his sleep and leaving his Master to metaphorically poke and prod as he pleased. He checked their connections on both sides of the bond, blessedly easy as Obi-Wan had left his shields at a low level after the initial contact. Qui-Gon could find no indication that there was anything wrong with his Padawan. His mind felt healthy despite his weeks-long ordeal.

He was certain Obi-Wan was completely unaware that he was slowly leeching energy from him, and furthermore, as far as Qui-Gon could tell he didn't need the energy at all. He sighed and broke away, rising to seek out those more knowledgeable than he. Whatever the problem, it was beyond his abilities.

"Qui-Gon, I'm surprised to see you here, I thought you would be monitoring Obi-Wan like a Casting Hawk watching it's chick." Tahl smiled at Qui-Gon's disgruntled face as she guided him into her sparse quarters.

"I'm not that bad, am I Tahl?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Qui-Gon, have you met yourself?" Tahl replied, deadpan.

He took his customary seat on the couch while Tahl busied herself in the kitchen making tea "Sapir tea? Or do you want something herbal like a Ho'din?" Tahl asked as she put the kettle on the stove.

"Sapir please," Qui-Gon answered as he settled himself. Tahl came over to join him while the water was boiling.

"So what brings you to my humble abode?" Tahl asked as she sat on the chair across from Qui-Gon. "You already sent me an update saying Obi-Wan checked out of the med center in good condition. So what are you here to work yourself up into a tizzy over?"

"I do not work myself into a _tizzy_ over anything," Qui-Gon huffed. "And how much do you know about force bonds?".

Tahl looked taken aback. "As much as any Jedi I would suppose. They're formed to communicate more effectively with a Padawan or a partnered Knight. Depending on how the minds mesh the bond can be stronger or weaker. Why are you asking?"

Qui-Gon steepled his fingers together and took a moment before he spoke. "Something happened on Ryloth when we took off the inhibitor. Obi-Wan's shields had deteriorated over the period of time he had it on, and when it came off his mind couldn't handle it. He grasped the bond and buried himself in my mind. It took some convincing to bring him back to his own mind, but when he did return something was …. different." Qui-Gon paused trying to gather the words to continue.

Tahl leaned forward in interest, clearly engrossed in the story. She motioned for him to continue.

"The bond was stronger," Qui-Gon started, "And I noticed I was able to sense his emotions without any effort. He was also drawing energy from me through the bond without conscious effort."

"You mean he isn't aware of the changed state of the bond?" Tahl asked, eyes widening with shock.

"No, he is not. I have not informed him of the change yet. I believe he is still ill and I don't want to give him anything else to worry about."

"Qui-Gon, I've never heard of anything like this," Tahl said, clasping her hands tightly together.

Qui-Gon inclined his head. "I have not either, but I thought that if anyone had, it would be you. I would like to ask for your assistance researching this in the Archives. Your research skills are unparalleled."

"Well Qui, flattery is one way to get me to help. I'll see what I can dig up." Tahl smiled.

"Thank you Tahl, I truly appreciate this." Qui-Gon said, just as the kettle started to whistle.

"Perfect timing, we can discuss our course of action over tea." Tahl rose to go fetch the kettle.

* * *

Obi-Wan left Master Toliman's classroom feeling exhausted. He had only been gone for three weeks, but it felt like he was even farther behind than that. He was going to have to ask Garen for his notes. Obi-Wan put his pad under his arm and started walking down the hallway that was flooded with Padawans leaving their classes and making their way to the Commissary.

Just the thought of food was making Obi-Wan nauseous, so he abruptly turned to walk in the opposite direction. The Archives were mostly empty at this time of day. He made his way there, intending to start work on his report on the third war of Cartao, but before he could even make it five steps towards the Archives, he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

"Obi!" Bant cried, "Over here!" She waved her webbed hands in the air to get his attention.

Groaning in dismay, Obi-Wan slowly turned around to face her, making his way slowly towards his Mon Cal friend. Bant was just as bad as her Master, Healer Lyonava, on pestering him about his weight. They both thought he was underweight and be should eating more. There was no way Bant would let him get away from her without seeing him eat something. Obi-Wan put on what he hoped was a convincing smile."Bant, how are you doing?"

Bant laughed, and nudged Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I should be the one asking you that, you just got back from your first solo mission! _And,_ you didn't come into the Healer's for your post-mission check up." She was scowling, hand planted on her hips, but her eyes were shining with mirth.

"For your information, I was checked out on a Med-center on Ryloth and got a clean bill of health." Obi-Wan sniffed, turning his nose up haughtily.

Bant gasped and pointed her finger reprimanding at him. "And you didn't come to see me when you got back?"

"I didn't think you missed me that much," Obi-Wan said smiling her at brightly.

Bant closed the distance between them and wrapped her arm around Obi-Wan. "Come on Obi, let's go eat lunch," she said cheerfully, and dragged Obi-Wan to the Commissary.

The Commissary was almost overwhelming. There were crowds of people sitting around tables, or in line to grab food. They were all talking, and the noise made Obi-Wan's head throb. Worse than that was the smell. There were so many different smells that he couldn't tell which one was making him sick. He plopped down at the first empty table and waved at Bant. "You go get food, I'll stay here."

"What do you want to eat?" Bant asked.

Obi-Wan sighed and put his head in his hands. He knew saying he wasn't hungry was not going to work. "Get me whatever you think looks good," he mumbled. Bant gave him a searching look then left to get the food.

Obi-Wan tried taking deep breaths to sooth his nausea, but that was a mistake. It just made it worse. He was breathing shallowly and chanting a mantra for peace in his mind, when Bant returned, pulling him out of his thoughts as she set a tray down in front of him. The smell that was assaulting his senses got even stronger.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes to find Fried Crispic. Bant was saying something to him, but he couldn't concentrate on it, he just knew he had to get out of here fast. He stood up abruptly and started running to the nearest waste receptacle. He almost didn't make it, but just as he got to it, he started sicking up. He heaved for long minutes, feeling miserable. At some point he felt a hand rubbing his back, and when he was finished,slumping down, he saw it was Bant who had comforted him. She offered him a hand and helped pull him upright, snaking an arm behind his back for support.

"Come on Obi-Wan, let's go to the Healer's Ward," Bant said sedately. Obi-Wan nodded and started following along before the words really hit him. He stopped in his tracks.

"I'm fine, Bant. It must have been something I ate for breakfast. I feel better now." And strangely enough, he did, now that he was away from the noise and scents of the Commissary.

Bant looked him up and down, skeptical of his proclamation. "You just don't want to be examined."

"Can you blame me?" he asked, spreading his arms wide. "Look, you can sense the Force. Do I feel at all ill to you?" He deliberately lowered his shields, leaving Bant free to search his Force signature for ailments.

She frowned, Force-touch feather light as she probed his aura. Eventually she sighed, "No."

"See? Totally fine."

"Fine," she grumbled. "But if it happens again, you're going. Even if I have to enlist your Master to drag you there kicking and screaming."

Obi-Wan gasped, mock clutching his chest. "Bant, you wound me."

"Please, the only time you'd stop avoiding the ward like it's the Rakghoul Plague is if you _had_ the Rakghoul Plague." She huffed.

"I swear Bant, that if it happens again I will come to the ward—"

"You humans are bizarre," she declared as Obi-Wan began to walk, rushing to fall into stride with him.

"And only if it happens again."

* * *

Obi-Wan did not, in fact, keep his word to Bant. Over the next few days he felt nauseous almost all the time, and was sick many times. Luckily, he managed to hide it from his Master and Bant, so no one was dragging him to the Healer's ward. He was getting tired of being sick all the time, and he fervently hoped this was just a stomach bug that would clear up soon. It wasn't just that he didn't want to go to the Healer's, it was that the idea of being in there, poked and prodded left him feeling terrified. He knew he needed to face this, meditate and release his feelings, but every time he thought about Zan Arbor and what happened, he panicked. He would start to hyperventilate until he managed to focus his mind on something else. He knew he could take care of this himself, he didn't want to put his burdens on Qui-Gon. He had already put enough on him, and he most definitely did not want to do a joint meditation. He had enough trouble with his shields as it was, there were some things he desperately didn't want his Master to know about. Like Obi-Wan's feelings for him. Qui-Gon was a rogue, but Obi-Wan didn't think he would be okay with breaking the no attachments part of the Padawan code. He was so close to being a Knight, it was just within his reach. He had already taken the classes on how to deal with attachment and balance it with the Jedi Lifestyle. He knew he could do it, now he just needed to face his Trials. But with the disaster that his first solo mission turned out to be, he didn't think his Master was going to recommend him for the Trials anytime soon.

Sighing, Obi-Wan turned away from the rail of his and Qui-Gon's balcony, wandering inside. Perhaps he would make some tea while he waited for his Master to return. It was one of the few things his stomach did not seem to find objectionable.

He set about making the beverage, procuring some light crackers from a cupboard. He breathed in the steam rising from his tea bowl, already feeling his mood lift. He settled on a meditation cushion at the small table in their quarters.

He started nibbling on a cracker when he heard the door woosh open, and his Master strode into the room."I see i have missed tea time, is there any left for me?" Qui-Gon asked.

"There is still hot water left. Let me make you some," Obi-Wan said, as he made his way into the kitchen. "I am having Hodin, but we still have some Sapir left if you would like that."

"Sapir would be wonderful. Thank you, Padawan," Qui-Gon said as he sat down on the meditation cushion that was opposite Obi-Wan's.

Obi-Wan poured the water into a mug and put the Sapir leaves in. He watched them start to uncurl. The Sapir flower's vibrant colors were dulled by the water, but it was still beautiful to see. He brought the mug over to his Master and handed it to him. Qui-Gon took the cup from him and nodded his head gratefully. Obi-Wan made himself comfortable on his cushion.

"You are still looking a little pale, Padawan, are you sure you are over your illness?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan tried to hide his wince. He was not doing better, in fact he might be doing worse, but he most definitely did not want Qui-Gon to know that. If he found out he would drag him to the Healer's ward no matter how much Obi-Wan protested. "I'm fine," Obi-Wan assured him, "Just a little tired from all the activity today."

Qui-Gon scrutinized Obi-Wan for a long minute then nodded. "Then you should go to bed early tonight. I've arranged a tandem duel with Master Gallia and Padawan Tachi tomorrow afternoon. I suspect you wouldn't want to add another loss to your ongoing contest."

Obi-Wan brightened. Sparring! Finally his Master had stopped his coddling and let him get back to a normal schedule. A match against Siri was always a good fight. Qui-Gon was right, he was going to add another tally to his victories, which he definitely didn't have written down on plast somewhere. "Siri-Tachi and I are not in a contest to see who wins the most, as that would be unbecoming of a Jedi," he corrected.

Qui-Gon raised a speculative eyebrow, "If you say so, Obi-Wan." He raised his tea to his lips. With that stated, they moved on to conversing about their day, and it was a piece of normality that Obi-Wan relished after the time he had spent on Ryloth. They chatted until the sun set and Obi-Wan excused himself and retired to bed.

* * *

Qui-Gon was looking forward to this match-up. It had been a long time since he last faced off against Adi Gallia and her Padawan, Siri-Tachi, who always put up a good fight. He looked over at Obi-Wan as he was stretching, readying himself for the battle, and smiled. It had been some time since they had sparred together just for fun, instead of battling for their lives. Obi-Wan caught Qui-Gon's glance and smiled at him.

"Ready to lose Kenobi?" Siri-Tachi mocked, as she finished her stretches.

Obi-Wan ignited his saber and slid into a classic Ataru opening stance. Qui-Gon followed and brought his left foot forward and lifted his lightsaber. They all held for a second, and then the fight started. Qui-Gon went in with a powerful strike, which Adi deftly parried. She retaliated with a strike of her own, driving him back into the wall and effectively cornering him. Qui-Gon deftly leapt into the air and landed behind Master Gallia. He went for an overhead strike, but Adi spun around quickly and caught the blade with her own. He was about to retaliate when he heard a crash and Siri-Tachi yelping.

He turned around to see Obi-Wan unconscious on the floor and Siri-Tachi hurrying over to him. He and Adi both deactivated their lightsabers and went running over. "What happened?" Qui-Gon demanded.

Siri turned around from where she was crouched next to Obi-Wan. "He jumped up to flip and then just fell half way through. I think he hit his head."

Just as she finished speaking, Obi-Wan started to stir. "What happened?" he groaned.

"You fainted in the middle of an aerial move. And fell flat on your face." Siri said gleefully. "This is a story that I will tell for years to come. Showing aspiring Padawans that the great Obi-Wan Kenobi isn't infallible."

Obi-Wan sat up and rubbed his head. "And you didn't think to try to catch me?" he groused.

"It was all too sudden, I was in shock." Siri smiled.

Qui-Gon stepped around Padawan Tachi and crouched down to look at Obi-Wan's head. There was a lump forming there, along with what promised to be a pretty spectacular bruise. He reached out and touched it softly and Obi-Wan winced.

"Really, I'm fine, Master. Just light headed," Obi-Wan assured him.

"You might have a concussion, we need to go to the Healer's ward," Qui-Gon said.

For a split second, Obi-Wan looked panicked, but he quickly schooled his features into something more calm. "I know what a concussion feels like, and I can assure you I don't have one,"

Qui-Gon raised a speculative eyebrow. "Can you tell me why you fainted then?"

Obi-Wan looked mulish. "No, I can't," he admitted reluctantly.

"Then we will go to the Healer's and they _will_ find out why," Qui-Gon declared.

Qui-Gon turned to Master Gallia and her Padawan. "It looks like we will have to schedule a rematch for later."

"I look forward to it," Adi Gallia said.

As Obi-Wan stood up and started following his Master out of the salle, Siri-Tachi caught his shoulder and said, "I'll call this one a draw, Kenobi, but I won't go easy on you next "

"We shall see, the last time we sparred, your lightsaber technique wasn't up to par." Obi-Wan smirked at her,and followed his Master out of the room.

"You just wait, Obie-Nobi, I'll get you next time," Siri called after him as he went down the hall.

Qui-Gon's hand rested on Obi-Wan's shoulder, steering them both to the Healer's ward with firm resolve. The lump in Obi-Wan's throat grew, fear rising towards a state of panic with each step they took. Logically he knew that there was no danger, nothing and no one that would actively seek to harm him, but it didn't stop images of silent medical technicians flashing before his eyes, ignoring his pleas and failing to acknowledge him as a sentient being.

Obi-Wan hesitated at the threshold of the ward, moving forward only at a squeeze from Qui-Gon's hand. He tried to keep his breathing steady as he stepped into the room.

"Healer Lyonava should be in shortly to look you over." Qui-Gon offered him a smile.

Obi-Wan tried to focus on the older man, but the smell of the antiseptic was overpowering. Everything was stark white and durasteel, just like the facility. His breathing increased in pace, but he held on. 'I can do this,' he thought determinedly, 'This isn't Ryloth, this is the Temple, I am fine." He realized his hands were shaking, and clenched them around the side of the bed to hide that. The door opened and Healer Lyonova walked in. At least Twi'leks had few similarities to Duros. He was also wearing browns and tans, and not the blinding white that the lab assistants had worn. Bant followed him into the room, and the sight of his friend calmed him a bit.

He could vaguely heard Lyonova talking to Qui-Gon, but he payed no attention to the words being spoken. He continued to concentrate on his breathing, taking long, slow breaths in an attempt to relax. He avoiding looking at Bant, not wanting to see the knowing look in her eyes, the one that said, 'I knew you weren't well, Obi-Wan.' Her hand slipped into his and squeezed.

"Are you okay, Obi-Wan?" There was no smugness in her voice over him being forced there by Qui-Gon, just concern. He looked at her, and finally began to relax at the sight of her calm eyes, her thumb stroking soothingly across the back of his hand.

"Not really," he admitted, as Healer Lyonova and Qui-Gon finished their conversation.

"Okay Obi-Wan, we need get your vitals," Healer Lyonava said. He wrapped a pressure cuff around his arm, and as it closed, his heart rate skyrocketed. His breath hitched in his chest as the panic tried to rise in a wave. Lyonova frowned as Obi-Wan's force signature clearly broadcasted his distress, glancing at Qui-Gon with an unmistakeable, 'Do something before your Padawan passes out again!' face.

Qui-Gon moved to stand in front of Obi-Wan, settling his hands on his Padawan's shoulders. "Breathe with me," he requested, putting just a touch of a Force suggestion into the words. Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan struggled to concentrate, until he finally managed to drag wide eyes away from the pressure cuff on his arm and focus on the rise and fall of Qui-Gon's chest.

Lyonova left the cuff deflated until he saw the Padawan's heart rate begin to drop, distracted by Bant and his Master, working together to calm the young man. He didn't doubt that the reaction was a side effect of his stint on Ryloth at Zan Arbor's hands. Obi-Wan had declined a visit to his Ward when he had been returned to Coruscant, but Lyonova would be scheduling some required visits to the Mind Healers when he was done with this examination. No Jedi that panicked over their own medical treatment could be trusted with that of another in an emergency situation.

He finally got a read from the cuff and immediately removed it from Obi-Wan's arm, choosing to ignore the sigh of relief from the Padawan. Lyonova elected to prepare the vials and needle for a blood panel himself rather than pull Bant away. Keeping Obi-Wan's focus off of him was more important at the moment.

Lyonova tied a tourniquet onto Obi-Wan's arm with practiced ease, despite a flinch at the touch. The Padawan seemed determined to follow Qui-Gon's orders though, his eyes never leaving the man's chest, though Bant's hand paled as Obi-Wan grasped it a bit tighter.

"You might feel a slight pinch," he commented, allowing just a seconds notice before sliding a needle into the now prominent vein in the crook of Obi-Wan's elbow. The blood flowed quickly, blood pressure still a hair higher than normal, and it was less than a minute before the necessary vials were full. Lyonova gave the arm a small nudge with the Force, encouraging the small puncture to heal before Obi-Wan could realize he was finished.

"All done," he said. Normally he would have teased such an obstinate Padawan about his reluctance to visit the ward when ill, but it just wasn't the time or the student to do so. "We'll start with the blood panel, and if that doesn't turn anything up, we'll do some scans to see what we can find. I'm going to keep you here overnight, but we'll move you to a private room, no equipment."

Obi-Wan's shoulders slumped as he finally looked away from Qui-Gon, his face one of abject misery.

"You will also be meeting with a Mind Healer in the morning." The Padawan nodded, Lyonova's voice making it clear that no form of protest would be accepted. "Further appointments will be scheduled at your convenience. I think Healer Nyatas Bailaiea would be a suitable match for you."

Lyonova often found the best was to deal with stubborn Jedi was to throw them in a room with a stubborn healer and wait for sparks to fly. Healer Bailaiea definitely topped the list; it was only through mutual determination that they both survived her apprenticeship without murdering each other. She would be perfect for dealing with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Bant escorted Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to their temporary room. It was small, but there was a sink and private bathroom, and a sleep couch rested against the wall opposite the medical bed for Masters to stay near their ailing Padawans. Bant gave Obi-Wan a hug, before hurrying out of the room to run his blood tests for her Master. Obi-Wan sat down on the bed looking immensely relieved to be out of the main Healer's ward. Qui-Gon sat across from him on the sleep couch. He needed to talk to Obi-Wan, but he also needed to sort through his thoughts. He knew that his Padawan's stay with Zan Arbor wasn't pleasant, but he had no idea that his reaction to it would be this bad.

"Obi-Wan, is this why you've been avoiding the Healer's ward?" Qui-Gon asked softly.

Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around himself and looked down, not wanting to meet his Master's eyes. "Yes," he whispered, barely loud enough for Qui-Gon to hear.

"Why didn't you come to me with this? If I had known, we could have prepared, we could have worked on your anxieties." Qui-Gon was genuinely bewildered by the fact that Obi-Wan would want to hide this from him. In the past, Obi-Wan had been reluctant to share his struggles with him, but in the end came to him for advice. Qui-Gon could feel Obi-Wan broadcasting his discomfort clearly, even without the changed state of their bond.

"I didn't want to burden you with my problems. I am a senior Padawan, I should be able to take care of these things by myself," Obi-Wan murmured. He was still looking anywhere but at Qui-Gon.

"Obi-Wan, no one expects you to deal with things like this by yourself." Qui-Gon began. "I know I am not the best example of taking the help I need. After Xanatos fell I refused to talk about him, but after my experience with Zan Arbor, the Council made me go to mandatory sessions with a Mind Healer. I will admit that I was reluctant at first, but it did help."

Obi-Wan finally looked up at Qui-Gon, but his hands were still wrapped tightly around his body. The Padawan opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure of what to say. After a long moment of silence he spoke. "It wasn't a big deal. She didn't even hurt me. It shouldn't be affecting me this much."

Qui-Gon leaned forward on the couch and found his Padawan's gaze. "Obi-Wan, everyone experiences things differently. What would not affect one person could be disastrous for another. On top of that, what you went through was not easy. You lost control of your body and your mind, and the Force was taken away from you. It is natural for you to have residual anxieties about these things," Qui-Gon explained.

"I didn't know what to do about it," Obi-Wan choked out. "Every time I tried to meditate and release the feelings attached to those memories, I … I panicked. I didn't want to admit my failings to you, Master." He turned away from Qui-Gon, not wanting to meet his gaze.

Qui-Gon stood up and made his way over to the bed where Obi-Wan was and sat beside him. He went to place his arm on Obi-Wan's thigh, but hesitated for a moment, not knowing if the touch would be welcome. He decided to risk it, and Obi-Wan turned to face him. Qui-Gon couldn't decipher the emotions in his Padawan's eyes. "Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon started softly, "You have never been a disappointment to me. There is nothing you could do that could change that. Early in your apprenticeship I didn't show it, and later I thought I didn't need to say it, but that was my mistake. I know that now."

"No Master," Obi-Wan interrupted, "This isn't on you, it's my fault it's—"

"No, Obi-Wan, it is not. My job is not only to teach you, but to take care of your wellbeing, both physical and mental, and I see now that I haven't done that. I intend to remedy this, starting now," Qui-Gon interjected somberly, curling his arm around Obi-Wan's shoulder. The young man leaned further into the embrace, placing his head on his Master's shoulder and Qui-Gon could feel some of the tension and anxiety that was radiating off of his Padawan vanish. "Now, It doesn't need to be tonight, but if you want to I would like to do a joint meditation to work through some of what you are going through," he said, softly.

Obi-Wan nodded, but didn't move from his position of leaning against Qui-Gon's chest. "Can you, I mean would you … Would you stay tonight?" he asked in a tentative voice.

Qui-Gon pulled his apprentice even closer and said, "Of course, Obi-Wan, all you have to do is ask."

They stayed like that until Obi-Wan started to drift off, then Qui-Gon tucked him under the covers on the bed. He reached out and touched the strange new bond between them and could sense nothing but peace, so he made his way over to the sleep couch and lay down. He did not sleep for a long time.

* * *

When Obi-Wan woke the next morning, he was feeling a little bit better than he had been for the last week. He looked around the room to find his Master gone. Panic swelled in his chest, and he tried to reach out through their training bond. He sensed Qui-Gon nearby, and he immediately relaxed. A few minutes later his Master entered the room carrying a tray of food. Obi-Wan was surprised to find that he was actually hungry, and that he wasn't nauseous. Qui-Gon set the tray on the table next to the bed. It had a Muja fruit, eggs and toast on it. Obi-Wan looked up to his Master and smiled. "Thank you for breakfast, but where is yours?"

"I already ate. I was just waiting to give this to you when you woke up," Qui-Gon said, smiling brightly. Just as he sat down, his commlink started to chirp. He frowned and ignored the message. Obi-Wan started to eat and silence descended. Qui-Gon's comm link started to chirp again, breaking the silence.

"It looks like someone really wants to get in touch with you. Maybe you should answer," Obi-Wan suggested, picking up and inspecting the Muja fruit before he took a big bite out of it.

"It's just the Council. They wanted our verbal mission report today, but they can wait a little longer," Qui-Gon said.

"Master," Obi-Wan said exasperatedly, "We can't defy the Council again, I am well enough to go."

"No," Qui-Gon gave his Padawan a stern look. "We still don't know what caused your fainting spell yesterday. You aren't going anywhere until you are cleared by Healer Lyonova."

"Fine, I'll stay," Obi-Wan sighed. "But you should go, Master, I will be fine until you come back." He pushed away the tray, starting to feel a little nauseous and not wanting to risk eating more.

"Healer Lyonova will be here in an hour to do another check up. He has agreed to do it up here instead of in the main ward. Will you be okay to be on your own?" Qui-Gon asked, worriedly.

Obi-Wan thought hard, then took a deep breath. "I won't be alone. Bant will be there. I will be fine, Master." He smiled a bit shakily at Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon nodded and stood up. "Very well, I will go. I trust your judgement, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

Obi-Wan watched him leave the room, then dashed to the 'fresher as the nausea overcame him. He barely made it to the toilet before he was sick. He heaved up everything in his stomach and when that was out, it continued. It felt like his stomach was trying to turn itself inside out. He was so preoccupied with being sick, that he didn't hear the door open. He felt a hand rub his back and a cool washcloth touch his forehead. He finally finished and weakly leaned against the toilet.

"Obi-Wan, you promised you would come to the ward if you were still sick, and you obviously are," Bant said in a soft but disapproving voice. She then helped Obi-Wan to his feet and supported him as he staggered back to the bed.

He lay down on the bed and looked at Bant. "I'm sorry, Bant, but now you know why I didn't want to go." He smiled weakly.

"Oh, Obi," Bant cried and gave him a tight hug. She released him and sat down on the bed next to him. "I'm sorry Obi, but I need to draw more blood from you. The Healer who ran your blood test contaminated it."

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and nodded. "It's okay Bant, I can do this."

"Okay, Obi, just relax," she soothed.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and touched his training bond with Qui-Gon. He could sense his Master's irritation, and smiled. Council meetings never went well for his Master or the Council. He barely even felt the pinch as the needle went in, and before he knew it, it was over.

"Done," Bant said cheerily. "Now I need to get this back to the lab. Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Don't worry Bant, I'll be fine. I am just going to rest for a bit." Obi-Wan yawned and crawled back under the blankets, curling up and making a little nest for himself.

"Sleep Well Obi-Wan," was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep.

Obi-Wan woke to the sound of voices conferring. He turned over and attempted to go back to sleep, but one of the voices called his name. "Padawan Kenobi, I need you to wake up."

Obi-Wan sat up and ran his hand across his face, trying to wipe the sleep away. He tiredly looked up and found Healer Lyonova at the foot of his bed. "Di―" Obi-Wan croaked, his voice sore from disuse. He cleared his voice and tried again, "Did you find out what caused the problem?"

"We found no viruses or infections in your blood, but we did find a large imbalance in your hormones. That and the fact that you are still vomiting has us concerned, so we want to try a body scan," the healer explained.

Obi-Wan looked over Healer Lyonova's shoulder to see Bant wheeling in a small machine with some sort of wand attached on one side, and a screen on the other. She pulled the machine up right next to his bed.

"Please take off your shirt Obi-Wan," the Healer requested.

Obi-Wan took a shaky breath and complied. He pulled it off in one motion, trying to get it over quick.

Lyonova noticed his unease and asked "Would you like to wait for Master Jinn to get back?"

Obi-Wan shook his head determinedly. "No, I can do this," he assured the Healer.

His heart was beating faster than normal, but it wasn't the frantic pace of yesterday's examination. He took a deep breath and laid back on the bed, steeling himself for the exam.

"We won't even need to touch you for this Obi-Wan, but if it gets to be too much, tell me and I'll stop," the Twi'lek said firmly.

Obi-Wan nodded and tried to relax as Bant took the wand and waved systematically from his head downward. He relaxed as the exam went on; the fact that he wasn't being touched helped immensely.

Bant slowly moved downward and as she reached his abdomen, Healer Lyonova made a surprised noise. "Bant, Go back down and get a picture of the whole abdomen." Bant followed his instructions and moved the wand over Obi-Wan's stomach. The Healer was quietly muttering to himself and looking from the screen to Obi-Wan and back again. His lekku were twitching in agitation. The quiet and intense looks caused a sinking feeling in Obi-Wan's gut.

"Thank you Bant, I got what I needed." Healer Lyonova praised. Then he turned to Obi-Wan. "In your time with Zan Arbor did she inject you with anything?" he asked.

The feeling in his gut was even worse now and Obi-Wan felt like he was going to panic. "Not that I remember, but I was out of it most of the time." His voice trembled as he spoke. "They only took samples," Obi-Wan paused thinking for a moment. "They also put me in bacta to heal my blaster wounds."

Healer Lyonova made some grumbling noises and looked back to the scanner. "Well this certainly explains the hormone imbalance if nothing else."

Obi-Wan's heart was beating frantically now, and his breathing was getting faster. "What's wrong with me?" he asked fearfully.

"I've never seen anything like this, but, well, you're pregnant." Healer Lyonova admitted.

Obi-Wan's brain didn't process the answer for a time, and when it finally he laughed, some of the panic leaving him. "Very funny, now please tell me what is really going on."

The Healer took the screen and turned it to face Obi-Wan. "I'm afraid I'm not joking, Padawan Kenobi. If you look here you can clearly see something that looks like an artificial womb and here,"he pointed to what looked like a tiny blob, "Is the fetus."

Obi-Wan blinked, befuddled by the news. He sat there for a long minute, then said "How is this even possible? I don't understand" He wasn't in danger of hyperventilating anymore, he was so shocked he almost couldn't get his breath.

"Well that I don't know, but looking at how far the fetus is developed, it looks like it happened while you were with Jenna Zan Arbor. I requested the files they took from her computer, but the technicians haven't been able to decode it yet, so I can't say how right now," Bant's Master explained.

'What I can tell you is that I believe I could safely remove it, but there could be complications."

Obi-Wan's mouth was as dry as the Tatooine desert. He swallowed trying to get moisture back into his mouth. "Is, Is it healthy?" he asks tentatively.

Healer Lyonova looked shocked. "As far as I can see it is, But if you were to go through with this I have no idea how things would go. I do think it could be dangerous though."

Obi-Wan took a in a deep breath and held it for a moment, then slowly let it out. "I, I think I need some time to think." he quavered.

"Very well, Let me know when you've made a decision,' the healer said and motioned for Bant to leave the room with him.

A soon as the door shut, Obi-Wan put his head in his hands and his mind went blank.


End file.
